Not a particularly well written piece, i've dealt with Foxtons a few times and have been impressed with the service i received and the thier professionality.

Are you just desperate for things to write about? It's not wit, Its sarcastic non-sense.

Jamie B, London,

I wish people would leave Jon Hunt out of the matter. He is a very nice person and was unfortunate to have a few bad people who filtered into his employment. The rest of the staff have been very helpful and friendly.

They fixed the shower promptly - no quibble.

susan ellis, london, england

The outrage over Foxtons is surprisingly acerbic, although I was looking forward to an M&S moving into the area (I know "it's not local....for local people"). I don't know why trying to get the best price for ones hard earned property is such a distastful act (advertising on kids balloons was a bit much however). People always vote with their feet and we will see what happens to ED - nic nacs, coffee shops, Somerfields are always busy, are we all in there griping how things have changed.
I just hope someone finds a long forgotten document proving that ED is in fact part of the state of Burgundy and as such can declare independance - the new Burgundians! Passport control would stop the likes of Nero....oh, and M&S.

John, London,

i loved your article thought it was witty and well informed . i have had a business in the east dulwich area for over twelve years . now
and slowly the area is being eroded and changing. im not aganst change per se but agree with some of the views above ..balloons to children indeed ! the rents will ultimatley rise due to the precedents set by these multiples ...my review due next year so i imagine that yes in about four to six years time ED will be indistinguishable from northcote road uppper street and the rest

rose , london,

The neighbourhood went bang years ago how many overpriced nik nak shops and seven pound a Cocktail bars does an area need. I moved from East Dulwich 3 years ago ,it is full of people who moved from Fulham and Clapham are they surprise Foxtons followed them!

h.campbell, london,

I have been living in East dulwich for over 10 years and I can say that I am gutted at the arrival of Foxtons - it may be the end of the area. What makes the area great is the number of owner managed businesses - unfortunately they will be replaced with bland chains stripping the character from the area as property prices and rents are driven up by Foxtons.

I have not bought anything from Neros, will never go into White Stuff and will happily take a free coffee from Foxtons in the hope that if enough people follow my lead then maybe, just maybe, they will pack up and go home.

Jason Peck, East Dulwich,

Well done - you have very effectively communicated what I was trying to convey on Saturday to a young mum at a kids party in East Dulwich. The view that "I don't care because I'm signed up with Foxton's and they're going to get me loads for my house" is precisely the issue I have with them. The reason I moved to the area 5 years ago was that after 18 years in Battersea I'd had enough of the community being destroyed by greed.Northcote Road was the oldest food market in London and now is full of rubbish All Bar One's and the like.The problem with pushing up prices is that more and more of the local/original community will be tempted by the over inflated prices and decide to cash in and move out - making way for a more impersonal mercenary breed. Cafe Nero was a shock, White Stuff a disgrace and now Foxton's - I don't think it could get much worse - what on earth is going to turn up next week?
I also find Foxtons incredibly devious and some local parents very gullible.Balloons to kids!

Hugh Wahla, East Dulwich,London,

Funny how the arrival of Foxtons and other estate agent chains destroys everything that makes the area good in the first place.

Estate agents shops add nothing to the community and take prime sites that could be used for shops/restaurants/bars etc that are actually of use to people, they also push up commercial rents meaning that independent enterprises cannot afford to get established resulting in chains being the only ones able to afford the rent hence our highstreets are full of pizza express, stada, all bar one etc etc.

Tabitha, East Dulwich, London

I have to say I feel the same about the arrival of foxtons, I spent 6 months wondering what was being built too, and was not happy when I saw what it was.
I still feel the same, however I have been in to check it out pretending to be a customer a couple of times, and although I do not like the way they do business, every time I have been greeted by a very polite and smiling face, which is not the usual reception in an Estate Agency. One of the girls who welcomed me was so friendly that I felt terrible for being so nosey, and so I really take objection to the way you have referred to the young man who served you coffee, it seems very unnecessary and probably completely incorrect. He was just doing his job, and I hardly think him a fool for not knowing how to use that machine, I certainly couldn't.

Mark Welham, Dulwich,

Although I get the jist of your article - your comments on 'richer, older IVF requiring mummies' is ill informed. I have lost 4 pregnancies (3 ectopics) and have no choice about how I will hopefully conceive. I am not rich and do not consider myself old - as for twins...well I would love some ...

Kate, London, UK

East Dulwich, by any chance?

Ben, London, UK

Janice Turner's view of East Dulwich (any resident would recognise the description) is very accurate. Even the chandelier shop is now a posh tea room (though it still sells chandeliers). East Dulwich is a rare jewel in South East London in that it has retained its community feel. But as the corporates and chains move in we'll begin to lose that identity. Our high streets are turning into soulless, glass fronted vacuums. I mourned the introduction of Foxtons as it could easily have been something more useful - a shop people need. Therefore we're also grateful that the new East Dulwich Warehouse, a place where the community can gather and sell their wares is about to be launched. I think people power in East Dulwich might eventually make Foxtons think about packing up and moving out themselves.

Jonatha Richards, London, UK

My local Foxtons has become an expensive clothes shop--is this progress?However, in defence of Estate Agents, Hotblack Desiato of Islington gave their name to a character in Douglas Adam's 'The Restaurant at the End of the World'.

Dectora, London, U K

Don't understand why it should be considered 'good' to have your money taxed on death, so that a proportion of it can be 'bequeathed' to government to squander, rather than to help your own flesh and blood. We already pay enough in direct and indirect taxation with underwhelming results. And isn't it somewhat fanciful - in support of the argument for inheritance tax - that more neighbourhoods will become 'aspirational' and so out of the reach of 'ordinary people'? Not even Gordon has used that one yet, but he might have to consider it - if all else fails.

anne, bournemouth,

Foxtons is an operation founded and funded by big capital interests who have an eye to privatising the property scene or consolidating a principal interest. That is to say that Foxtons have been doing their best to persuade council property owners to sell. I have had regular letters from them to that effect. They are doing their best to suggest to people that they can offer special advantages, and in the Lottery age many people don t need much persuasion to draw what they will see as an obvious conclusion. The glass fronted emporium with it s Gaggia coffee maker sets up the idea, but the quote you give actually gives the game away. They are, ostensibly, merely agents, and if they are getting you the best price, someone else is getting the worst price. The appurtenances are merely adding to their costs. Furthermore the quote is self-contradictory, because negotiators desperate for a sale does not imply the best price. You will know more about this than I do, but I ll bet they are buying more property than they are selling back on the open market.

Henry Percy, London, UK

So, "Leaving people money cripples society and creates a load of dumb people with money", according to Messrs Gates and Buffet. Well, most of us are well outside their financial league and consider it entirely reasonable to leave a comparitively modest inheritance to our children, not to "create a load of dumb people with money", but to make their lives a little easier than were our own.

Tony Adams, Deal, Kent

The 3 billion quid required to fund raising the Inheritance Tax Threshold to 1 million is really small beer to the Exchequer - less than 0.5% of the annual total Government spend, so raising it is not an issue - Osborne could probably find it stuffed behind an old cupboard in the Treasury. As for IHT, you have to understand that it is not just about being able to leave your life savings to your offspring, it is about keeping it out of the grubby, grasping maw of central government.

Richard Marriott, Worcester, England

Warren Buffett and Bill Gates have all stated "Leaving people money cripples society and creates a load of dumb people with money". I feel all estates should be taxed and the higher the amount the more tax.

Frederick, London, UK

After what Foxtons has done in the US there are a lot of Yanks hating Jon Hunt and the British way of doing things. He would be well advised to stay on his side of the pond for pretty much the rest of his life. It is not safe for him to walk the streets over here anymore.

Evan R., Marlton/NJ, USA